Two Texas Scools

Left Nacogdoches early this morning for Central Junior High in Pollok, Texas and the lovely librarian Carol Maples.

In the afternoon I was at Hudson Middle School in Lufkin with the kind librarian Kim England.

Thank you Carol and Kim for working so hard to get my way early!

After school I raced to the Houston airport to catch a flight to Salt Lake City. Marie is meeting me there to drive me down to Elko Nevada (What a Woman!). This morning Marie had to stand in for me to recieve “The Oregon Spirit Award” for my novel Elephant Run. (So it is possible to be two places at once if you marry well).

The Oregon Spirit Book Award http://www.octe.org/OSBA/OSBA.html is awarded yearly to the author of a distinguished contribution to children’s literature or young adult literature that engages and encourages readers’ imagination, discovery, and understanding, reflecting the spirit and values held by Oregonians. Priority to texts that present:

Respectful portrayals of diverse populations.

Tolerance of various individual and cultural perspectives.

Peaceful, innovative, and equitable solutions of conflicts.

Respect for ecosystems and environmental sustainability.

Wow! It’s was a great honor to recieve this award for Elephant Run, especially since it took me 10 years to finish the book from the time I thought of it until it appeared in print. I wish I could have been there for the presentation personally, but I’m down in Texas. (And Marie is a lot better looking than I am).